Our black lab is now 9 months old… gentle soul and 95% obedient! We lost our 15 year old springer 2 months ago and he’s noticeably missing her even though she paid him no attention…! His best friend is a 10 month old Border Terrier girl..they love each other but only see each other once or twice a month. The lab is definitely my partners shadow and whines when he leaves the room or goes out for the day but settles down within a few minutes…. He’s quite a needy boy - none of our previous labs have been so vocal (or loving!) but absolutely loves all other dogs and plays really nicely. we live rurally with lots of land and woodland so unless we take him into town he doesn’t get to see many dogs on a regular basis. Here’s the question….! I really want a cocker spaniel bitch puppy for me! We are both now retired and I’d really love a 4 legged companion for me (selfish I know!) but I don’t know whether I should wait until our lab is older? I’ve read conflicting opinions on best age gap but does anyone have any similar situations and advice they can share? thank you!
Hi Melanie. First up, there is nothing selfish about wanting your own four legged friend! We tend to suggest waiting at least a year between puppies - which you're not far off now! But it's not a hard and fast rule. There are pros and cons to taking on a puppy sooner, or waiting longer. You can read about some of these here. The important thing is to weigh up which risks or benefits matter the most to you and your family It may also take a while to find the right breeder and litter for your family, so if you're thinking of bringing home a pup in 6 months time for example, starting hunting now is very reasonable! I hope that helps!
